The story continues, I hope you don't find it boring or anything, but I just want a proper storyline not one in which you just get thrown into something.

Chapter 2

Pavel clearly preferred not to bring Arie along, but he had given in to Alan's request in order to ingratiate himself with the doctor. And so it was that the two intellectuals left the big hall and followed the almost bold, black-suited man through a corridor into another room. It wasn't a long walk until the three men arrived at their destination. A cliché bodyguard with a black suit, sunglasses and an earphone turned around as the door opened.

"It's okay Harold, it's me." Pavel said to him and the man nodded.

"Personal protection?" Arie sniggered, pointing at the man with his thumb.

"More for this, than for me." Pavel answered picking up the suitcase the guard was standing next to.

"That looks important."

"It is important, my dear professor. Allow me to show you."

Pavel opened the suitcase and took out a strangely formed artefact, covered in thin cloth. The inside of the case was filled with black foam rubber, so it was probably fragile. He carefully unwrapped the package and a white piece of stone was revealed. As Alan looked closer he determined that it was not a rock, it was a bone! A well preserved skull that, judging by his quick analysis, once belonged to a gallimimus.

"Where did you get that?" he thought out loud rather than to ask.

"This is from my personal collection."

"May I?" he said, pointing at the artefact.

"Of course, of course."

Pavel handed him the skull and Alan analysed it, rubbed the surface and compared the size to his hand. It was extremely well preserved, something which was rarely seen, even for a bone as commonly found as those of a gallimimus.

"You see doctor Grant, you are one of the few people who has seen these creatures in the flesh."

At those words Alan froze up and got a nasty feeling in his gut. He didn't like where this conversation was going. Mostly when someone addressed him about Jurassic Park they would be straight to the point, what they wanted to know, what he had seen or whether he didn't want to study them up close. This was different. He couldn't describe it really, maybe it was the tone? Either way he sensed that this Jacobson was after more than just a story. He got spooked as Pavel suddenly slapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Isn't that right doctor?"

Alan turned to Pavel, who removed his hand and did a step back.

"Sadly I have to agree."

"What is there to be sad about? Wasn't it thrilling to see them in real life?"

"You have no idea." Alan responded sarcastically.

"Exactly, that's why I'm planning to go on an expedition to the islands myself."

And there it was, the unfortunate plan got uncovered.

"I recommend you not to, but since my visit to the park I have tried that with many people yet somehow everyone seems oblivious to good advice."

"Don't worry, we are well prepared."

"You are never prepared."

"Well, I'm sure you feel otherwise once I have shown you our equipment."

Alan did a step forward and their faces were now only a breath away from each other. Alan continued with a threatening voice.

"Listen to me. You cannot prepare for what is on those islands. Dinosaurs are not simply scared off or immobilized like a dog or something."

"I can assure you, we've packed weaponry to defend us against a dozen of T-rexes."

"T-Rex is a minor threat in comparison to …"

"Velocirapters, yes I've heard your stories describing them as highly intelligent. Still, the creature that outsmarts a rifle has yet to evolve."

Alan shook his head, walked a few paces away and turned again to the businessman.

"You do know that Ingen had sent almost half an army to Isla Nublar and only few managed to escape the island alive. "

Pavel ceased facing him and started to correct his tie in front of a mirror that was hanging on the wall.

"Yes, we've all seen the news. Don't get so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" Alan got really mad, "Don't you think I know you people by now? You are all the same, thinking that you know everything better than your predecessors. Time and again, however, you people fail to understand that there is no such thing as guaranteed safety on those islands!"

"Alan, maybe we should go back to the meeting hall."

Vliegenthart, who had been quiet so far, interrupted the conversation. Alan realized that his friend was right. He nodded and the went for the door. When Arie exited, Pavel asked one last thing.

"So you won't be coming along doctor Grant? Can't I even persuade you by subsidizing your dig?"

"Mister Jacobson, experience taught me that if I get offered money, it's even more reason not to go. Have a nice evening."

He slammed the door. Pavel placed the skull back and closed the suitcase. He looked at Harold, who nodded and picked it up. He then left the room through another door than the researchers. Pavel took a phone from his coat and dialled a number. The phone rang twice before an Eastern-European accent answered it.

"Yes Ivan, it's Jacobson. I have a job for you."

.

Meanwhile Grant and Vliegenthart had returned to the meeting hall. Both hadn't said a word about Pavel or about what happened. Arie suspected that it was best to address another subject, so he started by complementing the food. Alan gladly took the opportunity to talk about something else than the offer of Mr. Jacobson. They went on about food until the second period of talks was announced. While being in the crowd massing at the entry of the lecture hall, Alan spotted Pavel leaving the building. He reckoned that the offer was the only reason why the man had come to the convention in the first place. Alan had the itchy feeling that he hadn't seen the last of the black-suited businessman. However during the lectures, he forgot about the entire matter and enjoyed the talks together with professor Vliegenthart.

"Well, that was an inspirational day, wasn't it?"

Arie and Alan were back in the meeting hall and the day had ended. They joined the line of visitors, waiting for the cloakroom. The employees literally ran around with numbered tickets to find the complementary coats and umbrellas for the flock of leaving guests.

"Yes, but I'm mostly curious about that new equipment. How long do you think until it's fully developed?"

"I don't know, but frankly the ingenuities do not interest me as much as the newly discovered dinosaur species."

They had gotten to the desk and gave their tickets to a young woman who left immediately to fetch their possessions.

"Well it's not for myself. I need to keep my dig updated with the latest gear. I hate computers and they seem to hate me back."

The lady returned with their belongings and quickly went on with the next person. Alan sparked at the staff as he found that he had been brought the wrong hat. Another man apologized and it took him a couple of minutes at the back to return with the correct one. The man apologized again and resumed his work.

"To think I had to leave with a different hat!" the doctor groaned.

"Yes, that would be a disgrace." Arie chuckled.

After they left the building Alan and himself walked for a while to get to the far end of the street so he could catch a cab more easily than at the dense population of lifters at the exit.

"Will you be riding along?" Alan asked.

"No, I'm going for a walk. It's a beautiful evening and I need to stretch my old muscles."

The Dutchman laughed and they shook hands.

"Well, I see you tomorrow Alan old friend."

"I believe so. Goodnight professor."

Suddenly a black van pulled over, the door slid open and two men stepped out. They grabbed both pedestrians and covered their mouths with chloroform drenched towels. It all happened so fast, Alan didn't even had time to call for anyone. As his vision blurred, he saw his companion collapse. He looked at the assailants, but the black ski masks made it impossible to recognize the people wearing them. The black colour of the headgear spread to every corner of his view as he lost consciousness.

End of chapter